Cardiff City are targeting West Ham United's Ravel Morrison and Manchester United's Wilfried Zaha as the new manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, seeks to continue strengthening his squad during the January transfer window.

Solskjaer is aware of Morrison's abilities as the Norwegian was on the coaching staff at Old Trafford at the same time as the midfielder was starting his career at the club.

Cardiff, though, are competing with Fulham, whose manager, Rene Meulensteen, has confirmed that his club has had a bid rejected by West Ham. Meulensteen also knows Morrison from the Dutchman's own time working as a coach at United.

The 20-year-old is open to either option because of these connections. Morrison has 18 months left on a contract that earns him £15,000 a week and, should West Ham receive a bid of £10m, they have to sell or raise his salary to £60,000 because of a clause in his contract. If an offer of £5m or more were to be tabled, the east London club might be tempted to cash in.

Meulensteen, speaking after Fulham's 3-0 win over Norwich City in the FA Cup, admitted Fulham have had a bid for Morrison turned down by West Ham but claimed the midfielder wants to exchange east London for west during the January transfer window.

The Fulham manager did not confirm whether the club would increase their bid but confirmed there is strong interest. Asked if Fulham had made a bid for Morrison, he said: "Yes we did. It got knocked back, it got rejected so we need to review it and move on.

"I left it with Alistair Mackintosh [the chief executive]. I've explained how I think about the situation so we'll have to wait and seen what happens. I make my desires clear and then leave it with those people to deal with it. We will review it, because I don't know the ins and outs about how it has been rejected."

Asked if Morrison was keen to join Fulham, Meulensteen added: "Yes. Because I've known him for a long, long time. [He has] youthfulness, energy, unpredictability, attacking strength, loads of things."

With Morrison wanting markedly improved terms even to consider committing his long-term future to West Ham the midfielder may well leave before the window's close. Manchester United are not interested in taking Morrison back.

Although Morrison is nursing a groin problem that has ruled him out of action since 5 January, West Ham hope he may be available to play in Saturday's home match against Newcastle United.

Solskjaer, since succeeding Malkay McKay at the start of the month, has signed Magnus Wolff Eikrem and Mats Moeller Daehli, who were formerly on Manchester United's books.

Solskjaer's links with Old Trafford are also making Cardiff favourites, ahead of Stoke City and Newcastle United, to land Zaha, should David Moyes decide to allow the 21-year-old to go on loan once the manager has weighed up his options in wide positions because of the injuries to Ashley Young and Nani.

Moyes has Adnan Januzaj, Antonio Valencia and Shinji Kagawa as three players who can operate in the position and, with it being unclear when Young, who has a shoulder issue, and Nani, a hamstring problem, may return, the Scot is yet to decide if he can afford to lose Zaha for the rest of the season.

Moyes wants regular Premier League football for Zaha along with a guarantee that the coaching he will receive can best help develop the winger, who has struggled to establish himself at Old Trafford.